SCROOGE SPEECH

I always get bothered around this season of the year for many reasons. Mostly it has to do with the fact that Christmas has truly become a cultural holiday. Sure, we constantly have the screamers on TV and others that talk about the true meaning of Christmas, issues of religious freedom or lack thereof, i. e., St. Paul, MN who had the Happy Easter sign removed from City Hall. Get it: Saint Paul. Then there is the buying of presents. For most Americans, we are out buying, trying to buy, whatever, for those who don't need anything.

A good buddy of mine told me this story recently, his Mom and sister decided, let's cut this out, giving each other gifts: take the money that we would spend and give it to a charity selected by the person who ordinarily would get the gift. All is well and suddenly the Mother decides that she is getting everybody a gift, just can't let it go.

I love this story: this couple is looking in the window at Macy's and suddenly one of them spies a little manger scene in the corner of the window and says, "Well, look at that, even the Church is trying to horn in on this Christmas business."

So, there you have it. I feel a little better having vented a little. However, I think my biggest issue, however, has to do with the fact that again, on this Christmas, we are war. Relatively speaking, it has affected few people, most Americans are untouched: Iraq what? I want us all to stop and be touched, concerned, pained that on this cultural holiday representing PEACE, we have America's young men and women on foreign soil. It really is hard to think about peace, the Prince of Peace in such times. God bless our soldiers and God bless us.